Monday, April 15, 2013

Laugh It Up !!! (Top five reasons comedy clubs make for good dates)

You’ll cram three dates worth of ‘getting to know you’ information in one nightclub act.

People are afraid of comedy clubs and tend to steer clear of them unless a larger group is attending (there’s safety in numbers) or the relationship between two people is well established. There’s nothing more embarrassing than being picked on by an obnoxious comic who makes fun of your date’s weight leaving her completely mortified for the rest of the evening.

But fear is a terrible reason to overlook the dating goldmine of a comedy club venue. Here are five compelling reasons to consider yukking it up with a date.

1) You find out what makes them laugh

Part of the anxiety of getting to know someone is wondering whether your senses of humor will mesh. If you’re a feel-good upbeat personality, you may be turned off by someone who indulges in dark sarcasm, or if you love satirical shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy and your date says she ‘just doesn’t get it’ then you might have a problem.

At a comedy club you typically see at least three comics in a given show (the emcee, the warm up act and the headliner), so you get an array of different sensibilities, all of which you can use to test the reactions of your date. Is she squeamish at sex jokes, belly laughing at inappropriate times? You’ll cram three dates worth of ‘getting to know you’ information in one nightclub act.

2) Laughing releases endorphins

Any woman will tell you that a sense of humor is the most important thing in a man, even ahead of good looks. Laughing puts both genders in a good mood, and gets the endorphins flowing, which bodes well for later in the evening. Live entertainment adds a rush of excitement to an evening, which translates into an exciting date.

3) Takes the pressure off, but allows for some talk

One complaint about going to the movies on a date is that you sit in a dark room with that new person for two hours without saying a word to each other. The good part is you do end up with something to talk about afterwards, but during the show you can’t say a word. With comedy, you get the best of both worlds. Comedy crowds are encouraged to be loud and boisterous, so you can easily comment on show as it’s going on, as well as being able to talk between acts or sets. Then when the show’s over you’ve got plenty to talk about, without either of your reactions coming as a complete surprise.

4) It’s good people watching

Comedy clubs attract all kinds of people. There are out-of-towners, the held-over happy hour crowd, friends of the comics, people who have never been to a comedy club before. It’s a cross section of society that you don’t get anywhere else, and because of this, it’s also an endless source of conversation for you and your date. Trying to guess the accents of the people sitting beside you or introducing yourselves to the couple across the table takes the pressure off being ‘on’ in an intense one on one conversation all night.

5) Works easily into a larger date plan

Most comedy clubs have an early show and a late one, and typically don’t go over an hour and a half. Some amateur open mike nights will drag on forever, but those are also easier to sneak out of if you get bored. The flexibility of the timing allows you to either grab a bite before the show, or still have time afterward for snacks and cocktails, not to mention the fact that most clubs offer drinks and food during the show itself. Here’s a tip to the shy: Comedy club hosts are instructed to seat people closest to the stage first and move out from there, so if you have a fear of getting ‘picked on’ by a comic, don’t arrive early.

Next time you’re trying to come up with an original idea for a date, try laughter – it’s not only the best medicine – it could be the perfect dating tool.